. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture; Agriculture. J^^^^^u BULLETIN No. 377 Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology L. O. HOWARD, Chief. ^"\/^^»-ru Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER August 18, 1916 THE ARGENTINE ANT:^ DISTRIBUTION AND CON- TROL IN THE UNITED STATES. By Eenest R. Babbee, Scientiflc Assistant, Southern Field Crop Insect Investi- gations. CONTENTS. Page. Present known distribution in the Southern States Dispersion Economic importance Habits Life history Natural control Repression 6 7 9 10 INTRODUCTION. The Argentine ant ^ is one of the most ser
. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture; Agriculture. J^^^^^u BULLETIN No. 377 Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology L. O. HOWARD, Chief. ^"\/^^»-ru Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER August 18, 1916 THE ARGENTINE ANT:^ DISTRIBUTION AND CON- TROL IN THE UNITED STATES. By Eenest R. Babbee, Scientiflc Assistant, Southern Field Crop Insect Investi- gations. CONTENTS. Page. Present known distribution in the Southern States Dispersion Economic importance Habits Life history Natural control Repression 6 7 9 10 INTRODUCTION. The Argentine ant ^ is one of the most serious of household pests. Any exposed food or food refuse in the infested sections attracts the workers of this species in abundance, and residents and keepers of grocery stores, meat markets, confectioneries, etc, must either suffer considerably or almost constantly use poison or barriers of various kinds. If its activities were confined to the household only, the prob- lem of controlling the Argentine ant would be sufficiently difficult, but in common with some other ants it has the habit of protecting mealybugs and aphids and thus indirectly becomes a pest of crops. The problem is more serious from the fact that the species is steadily spreading in all directions throughout the Southern States. It is practically certain that it was introduced into this country at New Orleans, in ships which brought coffee from ports in Brazil^ although the exact date of this introduction will always remain in doubt. The Argentine ant was first observed in New Orleans in 1801 by Mr. Edward Foster.^ At that time he records it in small numbers; 1 The work of the Bureau of Entomology on the Argentine ant is divided into two One part deals with the ant as a general pest, its distribution, and relation to the cultiva- tion of sugar cane. The other part relates to the special problem of control in citrus groves. This phase will be treated in another publication. The work reported in this, p
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